Apple-sorter.



W. H. GRAY.

APPLE SORTER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 28, 1912 Patented July 7, 19M.

2 SHEDTS SHB INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYg.

W. H. GRAY.

APPLE SURTER.

APPLICATION 11mm OCT. 28. 1912.

Patented July 7, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2! m m 5555s. INVENTOR.

. M QMQM/ By w 7 A rromvzyg Japplc sorter provided with a second travel- UNITED sTaTEs Parana orrion.

WILLIAM :1. (new, or EnnYvrLLE, Iowa.v

APPLE-SORTER.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented July 7, 1914.

Aprilication filed ()ctober 2S, 1912. Serial No. 728,242.

To all w/w'mfit may concern 1 Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. GRAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eddyville, in the county of Vvapello and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Apple-Sorter, of which the folupon a platform having alternate raised portions and having at its lower portions a plnrality of traveling co'nveyers.' A further object is to provide such an ingconwzyer to receive the apples from the plurality of conveyors above mentioned, and provided also with means for rolling the apples forwardly and also laterally on the latter conveyor.

A further object is to. provide such a. device having means whereby the apples are automatically separated into assorted sizes, and whereby each size is delivered into a receptacle provided therefor.

My invention consists in certain details, in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, i-vhoreby the objectsleontcmplated are attained, as hereinafter" more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a top or plan view of an a pple sorter embodying my invention. Fig. *2 shows a vertical, sectional view through the same. Fig. 3 shows a transverse, vertic-iii, sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig: 32. Fig. 4r shows a transverse, seclional view taken. on the line 44 of Fig, 2. Fig. 5 shows a transverse, sectional view taken on the line of Fig. 2, and. 6 shows a detail view of a. part of the mechaportions 112 between the conveyors may have the form of an inverted V in cross section with each side inclining toward one of the ccnveyers 11. .The upper parts of the conveyers 11. travel in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig 1; that is, from the rear toward the front of the machine.

In beginning the sorting of my apples, I pour the apples upon the parts 12 and the conveyors 1'1 and the apples only roll down to the conveyors. The conveyers 11 may be provided withshort-transverse slats 14. I preferably provide under the upper portions of the conveyers 11 a smooth platform 15 to support the conveyers 11 in substantially horizontal position; the conveyors 11 travel over rollers 16 and 17 arranged at the rearward and forward ends respectively of said convcfn 'lherollors 16 are fixed upon a shaft 1% and the rollers'l7 are loosely mounted upon a pipe or tube 19: At the sides of the platform lo are vertical walls 20 and at the rear end of the walls 20 I provide an inclined end member .21., The rear; ends of the walls may he supported by ropes or the like 2 wl'iirh permit the lateral movement of the platform 15 hereinafter more parth-ularl v red to. Arranged in front of the com' T1. and slightly below the level thereof. 15011 to receive the fruit discharged the conveyers 11, is a broad traveling om yer of proper width to receive t discharged from all the conveyors ii. The conveyor 22 travels upon rollers 93 and 524 at its rear and front ends respectively. The rollers and 24 are mounted upon shafts 25 and 26, the shaft 26 being a pr shaft and the shaft 25 being an idler #1 it, as hereinafter more fully set forth Mounted upon the frame of my improved apple sorter, below the forward end of the our ever a transverse shaft 27 capable of sliding li'iOi'QlTlGlll) with relation tosaid frame.

upwardly extending arm 28. Connecting the upper ends of the arm 28 is a transverse bar 29. Extending downwardly from the bar 29 to position spaced above the upper portion of the conveyor 22, is a plurality of brackets 3 Rotatably mounted in the brackets is a plurality of horizontal longitudinally. arranged rods 31 extending from said brackets rearwardly to the tube 19 in which the rear I ends of said rods are mounted. {The trams-preferably @311 At each end of the shaft 27 is an cred with rubber tubing 32 or other suitable means for preventing the bruising of the fruit.

Connecting the lower edges of the side members 20, at the forwnfrd ends thereof, are two transverse members 33. Mounted on the frame ofthc device below the forward ends of the conveyors 11 is a transverse sha ft 34. Slidably mounted upon the shaft 34 are upwardly extended arms 35 secured at their upper ends to the transverse memhers 33. Suitably mounted upon the frame on each side thereof adjacent to the rear ends of the rods 31 are upwardly extending arms, Extending rcarwardly from the members 36 are brackets 37, the rear ends of which are approximately on a level with the rear ends of the rods 31. Connecting the brackets 37 is a flexible device 38 such as a rope which is preferably wound once around each of the rods 31, as. clearly shown in F ig. 5.

Ithas already been noted that the rear end of my apple sorter is supported by the ropes 22. The forward end of the rearward section which carries the conveyors 11 is slidably mounted upon the shaft 34 and is capable of lateral sliding movement with relation to the fixed portions of the frame 10. -The rear ends of the rods 31 are fixed in the tube 19 which moves with the rear ward portion or section of my apple sorter.

(he forward ends of said rods 31 move with the brackets 30 and the brackets 30 may be moved laterally by sliding the shaft 27 laterally. The mechanism whereby the shaft 27 and the arms 3.5 are moved laterally will be now more fully explained:

'The shaft 26 extends outwardly at one end and mounted thereon is a. belt pulley 40 which may be operatively connected with any suitable source of power. Upon the outer end of the shaft 26 outside the belt pulley 40 is a wheel 11 having a cam face 42. Mounted upon the frame 10 below the shafts 2G and 34 are laterally extending brackets Rotatabl v mounted in the outer ends of the brackets 13 is a longitudinally arranged rock shaft 47. Fixed to the rock shaft 47 beneath the shaft 26 is an upwardly and outwardly extending arm -14. On the outer end of the arm 41 is a roller 45 designed to engage and travel on the cam face 42 of the wheel -11. The arm 44 is held at the inward position of its movement by means of a. con

jtractible coil spring, 46 secured to said arm and to the fixed portion of the frame of the machine. Fixed on the rock shaft 47 is an upwardly extending arm 48. upper end of the arm -18 is a link 49 standing: in substantially horizontal transverse position, and pivoted to one of the arms 29.

The parts just described are so arranged that when the shaft 26 rotates the wheel 41 Pivoted to the the roller 45 traveling upon the cam face 42 will actuate the arm 41. and thereby' the rock shaft 17 which, through the arm 48 and the link 49, will reciprocate the arms 28 laterally. thereby moving the member 29 l l and the brackets 30 and the rods 31. Extending upwardly tron'i the rear end of the rock shaft 47 is an arm 50. substantially horizontal link 50 pivoted at one end to l the arm. .30 and at the other end to oneof l the arms 35. When the rock shaft 47 is l rotated the forward ends of the conveyers I 11 will be swung or reciprocate laterally through the tube 1 9, the'ends of which are mounted in the sides 20, the transverse member 33, the arms 35, the link 50, and the arm 50 It will be seen that, by the arrangement of the rope 38, when the rods 31 are moved laterall they will also be rotated at the same time. The purpose of reciprocating therearward section of the machine which carries the conveyers 11, and of reciprocating the rods 31 laterally there of. is to cause the apples on the conveyer 22 to roll, making it possible for anyone standing at the side of the machine to detect any bad spots in the apples and to pick out and remove any defective fruit. The rotation of. the rods 31 by means of the rope 3821s- I sists in rolling the apples. The apples are therefore rolled in one direction by the action of the traveling conveycr 22 and in another direction tion and the The 24- are mounted upon the shaft- 26 which is pulley 410. The roller 26 carries the conveyor 22 which operates the roller 23 and the shaft 25. Upon one end of the shaft 25 is a belt pulley 50. Upon one end of the shaft.17 is a belt pulley 51 in line with the pulley 50". A belt 52'travels upon the pulleys 50 and 51/ In the drawings, I have shown four of the conveyers 11. the space between. the two central conyeyers being somewhat wider than the space between the outer conveyers. The rods 31 are arranged in pairs so that the apples from each of the conveyors 11 will be'discharged between a pair of the rods 31. I have left a space in the center of the conveyor which is indicated by the reference character A free from the rods 31. As the apples are rotated in passing over the conveycr 22, the defective apples are picked up and dropped into the space A.. The apples from the space A are discharged into a chute I have arranged adjacent to the discharge end of the conveyor 22 guide chutes or devices 53 arranged to disharge the fruit from the convcyer 22, except the portion A thereof, in two streams. l For receiving the apples discharged from I rotated by means of power applied to the by the lateral reciprocathe conveyor 22 and for sorting them into sizes and delivering them into receptacles anew-cling to their sizes, I have provided the following means: Mounted in the frame 10, adjacent to the two points of discharge from the conveyor 22, I have provided spirally corrugated shafts 55 covered with suitzlble soft material. The shafts 55 may incline from the rearward ends forwardly and downwardly. Spaced apart from the shafts so are parallel shafts 56. The shafts 56 are constructed with portions 57, each of which covered with soft material. portions 5? are graded in sizes and are arranged in a. series, the portion 5? having the greatest diameteif being at the rearward ends of the shafts 56, then the next smaller portion 57. and. so on, It will thus be seen that, the space ween the portions 57 and tho adjacent shaft; 55 increased toward the outer ends the shafts The space between the rearward. portion 57 and the shaft is quite small and permits the smaller apples to pass between said shaft and said portion, The space between the next porti n and the shaft .55 permits ily l 2r apples to drop down between 5 3 portion and and so on. De neat the various portions 57 is a plural 'ty of guide chutes 5f} lined with soft material and dos nod to discharge into saiial -le re- ;I-.\ and it are IOlf'alltd so that their in vement to the apples \iill always be upward in the following manner: Mounted below the shaft, is a transverse shaft 61. Upon. one end of the shaft 26 is a pinion 62 inmesh with the pinion (l on the shaft Upon the upward rearward ends of the shafts and 51 are beveled gears 64 in. mesh with lioi'elod gears 65 on the shaft 'lho beveled gun's H and t are so arm t d, that tho nioi'em it of i shafts and relation to the apg'rles lOF-lWH-Zl they l;

For limit; l Slllw, l m portion o my apple 5 i. izl'iivlii the com It as the first soil-in" portion 'Wlilull carries the $01} the second 54 ,ion, and to that poitii n ii'liiiih includes the portions 57 as the third aeotion.

in the practical use of my improved apple sot-ten the apples are discharged upon the top of the first section in any suitable manner. The construction of the portions 13 causes the apples to move downwardly to the conveyors 11 by which they are moved forwardly in the machine and are dis-- charged upon the conveyor 22 The 17121-- chine is operated from an} suitable source of power applied to tho'beltpulley 4.0. When the apples are discharged upon the conveyer 22 they are vari'ied forward by said conveyor and are also rolled laterally by the lateral reciprocation of the rods 31.

The

56 is alw u 'iwzird with are dro mm i first iecep mile (30. the next 1:1

tlie set'oiid wire; in 60, and so on.

opt-ration is t'onqiieted the lefeotivt;

Will have been separated from the ones and the sound apples will have graded aocoi'liing to size. w

it will lie umierstoml that a great.- variations may he made ii: the d tails l oonstruvtion my improved apple s fl" t being my intention to em' i' in the (*(ilifillilitvl'llni coming u'i; of the appended claims.

In my illustrated doso i utiou erred frequent 5' to apples; understood that I do not oonfn V the use of my machine with aizy p: kind of? fruit l olaim as I invention:

1. in a devi e of the traveling (-onv parallel i longitiidinull above said T YZN ',lthe meirzhoi's of each pair oi r t. spaced apart ll'um eotzli other to fruit between them m ans for w'aoipr tm: mg said rodo latvi'aily to alterna y rotate the fruit upon said conwzyer it is a ivanoedi and means for a ii; ing fr it parallel row aiul feeding it coi'iiizniouslv iii-tween the memhors ot" eaoi': pair of voila in it ile lce of the class tlesoribed. a traveling some or, a frame above said conz valile oi ti'aiwi so movmnentu gmn arranged in pairs in sa d i'mmo "ndimll shove ill. woi'iveyy the :z-i eznrli pair oi rods being o1 Rf-Bill other to reoeive fruit a and 'means for reoipro J transversely to alternately ro into tho fruit upon said erm'veyo'r as it is illlv'tlll 'fk flll Ii. In a device of the class described a tra veling conveyor, a series 0? longitudinally arranged rods mounted above said (10TH in parallel pairs, means for rociprooatingi: said rods laterally, and means for rotating said rods when they are so reciproeated 12s 4. In a device. of the class dosm'ihetli a traveling eonveyer,- parallel rods arranged lm'igitudinally above said conveyor in pairs, the members of each pair of rods lieieg llliili In a device of the (1355 described, a naiel) rotate the fruit upon said conveyer H fravelmg eunveyer, parallel rods arranged v :1'- i. 15 advanced and means l'ur rotating longitudinally above said conveyer n1 palm, we rmls when they are so reuprwaled. the members or each pen of rods bemgi Des M0111es, l 0\\*a,()cln'herl5,19172. smred .anart r m each other me-mw (lC-i 1 i WILLIAM H. can.

signed to arrange fruit in parallel rows and designed to feed it wntinuously. between the *itnesses:

memlz-ers of each pair of rods, means for j G. M. PIERCE, reciprocating said rods laterally to alter-, Fawn irrnnsox. 

